LG tourism — April 1895

A popular Lake George Hotel was set for a makeover.

“Architect E. B. Potter has completed a plan for a extensive alterations in and about the Hundred Islands House, Lake George,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on April 9, 1895. “The billiard room, which heretofore has been located in a cottage south of the hotel will be assigned a place in the basement of the main building, together with toilet rooms, barber shop, etc. The cottages, summer houses and other buildings will also be improved.”

Charles Elms of Queensbury was papering and painting the interior of the Trout Pavilion, The Morning Star reported on April 26.

Other hotels were gearing up for the tourism season.

“Thomas Lennox, Robert Brown, E. M. Pratt, and George Gregory are working on The Sagamore boats, repairing and painting them for the summer trade,” The Morning Star reported on April 12.

“The five cottage buildings on the garden opposite the Lake House are nearing completion. They are models of architectural taste,” The Morning Star reported on April 24, 1895. “In the center of the garden it is proposed to erect an electric fountain illuminated with colored lights. The effect at night will be grand.”

In other April 1895 Lake George tourism news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• “A. H. Roswell, of this village (Glens Falls), has leased the Crosbyside Hotel of Lake George for the coming season. Charles M. Russell, who has been clerk of the hotel for several seasons, will act as general manager,” The Morning Star reported on April 23.
• Boats were being readied for the season.

“To Henry E. Nichols belongs the distinction of being the first to run a steamer through the waters of Lake George. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols left Monday morning for their home at the Hundred Island House on Mr. Nichol’s natty steamer yacht Kismet,” The Morning Star reported on April 25.

• “Raphael Potter’s steam launch was put into the water at Pine Point yesterday and afterward steamed down the lake. D. P. McQueen’s yacht has been repainted and is nearly ready to launch,” The Morning Star reported on April 24. “W. H. Tippets’ steamer Mirror looks quite natty in her new coat of paint and varnish. She will be launched Saturday or Monday.”

B. G. Caldwell, “a prominent insurance man of Brooklyn,” was expected to arrive at Caldwell that day to launch his steam yacht Wanda, which had been placed in the water the previous day.

• “C. J. Bates of Lake George has just completed a handsome new steam yacht for B. J. Ackerman of New York, who has a summer cottage at Bolton. The boat is fifty-five feet long by ten feet beam, and Is finished in mahogany,” The Morning Star reported on April 3. “It will be launched as soon as the ice is out of the lake. Mr. Bates will soon commence the building of a steamer forty fee long by seven-and-a-half feet bean for W. A. Watrous of Hague.”
• “Will Crandall will have charge of the Lake House Fleet this season,” The Morning Star reported on April 24. “It will include a number of steam yachts and twenty to thirty St. Lawrence boats. Mr. Crandall has leased a part of Pine Point and will build a dock, boathouse and bath houses.”
• “F. G. Wilson will return to Lake George about the first of May and reopen his summer home ‘The Trojan’ for the fishing season,” The Morning Star reported on April 17.
• “Gibson Mason of Sandy Hill is getting D. P. McQuain’s boat in readiness for fishing season,” The Morning Star reported on April 19.
• “Dr. Turnbull of Pittsburg, Pa., visited Lake George yesterday with a view to locating there and practicing his profession during the summer months,” The Morning Star reported on April 19. “He will probably occupy the late Dr. Adamson’s cottage. Dr. Turnbull was a classmate of Charles B. Dix of Glens Falls at Cornell University, and was his guest last evening.”
• “The hotel in course of construction on the grounds of the Lake George Camp Association will be equipped with all of the modern conveniences and will rank among the leading hostelries of the lake,” The Morning Star reported on April 26.

Click here to read the most recent previous Lake George tourism history post.